Anthem Novel by Ayn Rand

Answer

Anthem Novel by Ayn Rand

Anthem is a dystopian fictional novel by Ayn Rand which happens at the unnamed date when the society has arrived in another Dark Age. The individuality concept is eliminated and technological advancement is planned cautiously. The character Equality 7-2521 dissents by doing secret scientific research. When his operations are discovered, he escapes into the wilderness with the lady he loves. The two plans to create a new society centered on re-discovered individualism. The novel is a tale of the characters' struggle against the collectivism impression that humanity has the entitlement to guide each individual’s life for the gain of all. Rand's narrative highlights the collectivist initiative to its rationalconclusion of a civilization where individuals are just numbered units, entirelyexposed to state regulation, and scheduling the story’s origin is founded in Rand’s Soviet Communism experience. This paper analyses the current Canadian government COVID-19 economic response plan of paid benefits mostly to students rather than going to work. This Canadian government COVID-19 response initiative is compared to Anthem's collectivism theme.

Anthem’s main political issue and society at large is the individualism vs. collectivism issue. Anthem society is a collectivist one. Rand states that “collectivism implies the subjugation of the person to the group irrespective of class, state or race is not significant” (Bernstein,2001, p. 65). In such a society, the group owns the individual and lacks the right to a private life, which implies no entitlement for his happiness or his property. The Anthemcommunist society is a state where freedom is perceived as indivisible form equality and government action enforces this equality. Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the 18^th century offered a crucial expansion of the collectivist notion when he asserted that a society cannot be genuinely democratic except its citizens dominate significant ideals, beliefs, and quantities of resources. Rousseau (2008) trusted that democracy cannot survive without property equalization. Several 20^th-century political movements advocated for the social planning system to check on capitalism or eliminate it. Social planning was anticipated to become efficient, coherent, and scientific, which is a massive enhancement to disorderly capitalism. Theorists expected that the cost of an intentional economy equates to a person's capability of doing what he or she longed to do.  Such an extension of collectivism as argued by Rousseau is what the Canadian government is implementing in its COVID-19 economic response. Unlike the Anthem society where the progress pace is signified a humble candle which was made a hundred years. Because twenty celebrated men rather than one real scientist was tasked with the project.

Presently, the ideas on the collective role are still evident in society, for instance, one of the principal notions in most collectivist ideologies is the collective interest concept. Collective interest is perceived as an objective that all group members pursue that profits the group as a whole, instead of helping one person in the group. In such a situation, people base their choices and acts on the group's shared goal. In such a form of thinking, personal excellence is promoted only if it helps or does not harm the community. Collective interest is the establishment of social movement and interest groups like human rights groups and organizations like the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). The government launched an economic response or stimulus plan for the individuals, businesses, and the economy as a result of COVID-19 effects. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is for people who lost their income due to COVID-19 irrespective of then being employed or self-employed. CERB offer a taxable benefit of two thousand dollars each four weeks up to sixteen weeks for eligible workers who lost their income or stopped working because of COVID-19. The Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) offers emergency financial assistance to students and current graduates who cannot work, or get employed because of COVID-19 related reasons. CESB is likewise accessible to persons working however not earning over one thousand dollars before taxes over the four-week timeline for which they are applying. Both CERB andCESB function as government expression of collectivism that operates to tackle the common issues and enhance the quality of life of Canadians during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Collective interest was lacking in Anthem. In Anthem, a committee of state-appointed professionals determines Equality 7-2521 lifework, who had an intelligent scientific mind. Equality 7-2521 is sentenced to a street sweeping career which makes Rand question how the state can plan for everyone’s welfare when the right of one person cannot be determined. Confronted with Equality 7-2521’sastonishing electric light discovery, the organizers' endeavors to outlaw its usage.  “Should it be what they assert of it” Harmony 9-2642 said, “then it would ruin the Candles Department”(Rand, 1998, p.10). Such sentiments depict the non-appreciation of the electric light value or any other unexpected unearthing of the discrete mind. Because the collective self-styled authorities criticized it. Hence the planner responded with force. No actions can be implanted without the Councils' approval. The state has outlawed the use of the word "I" and instead uses the word “we". Anthem is a society committed to the subjugation of self which is eventually confronted by a person who manages to replicate upon himself.  Anthem is a gallery where brotherhood and fairness as perceived in free humanity, are imitated by the partial portrayal of ‘comradeship’ and ‘fairness’, as they exist in a collectivist state.

Conclusion

Collectivism is founded on the thought that persons do not live insegregation. However, they rely on one another in different ways. The Canadian government COVID-19 economic stimulus plan promotes the idea of the common good to the citizens and it heartens liberty and equality amongst individuals. The government’s actions represent a collective interest of citizens to live a better life amid COVID-19 tough economic times. Such Canadian government collectivism efforts are different from Rand’s Anthem State collectivism where force was used to enforce equal obedience to a social plan. The persons liberties and rights were restricted in Anthem and so was an innovation.